Outdoor furniture



I ep 2 1942- J. c. FELDMAN 2,296,603

' OUTDOOR FURNITURE Filed July 5, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 22, 1942. J. c. FEL DMAN OUTDOOR FURNITURE Filed July 5, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ail} . uncomfortable.

Patented Sept. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OUTDOOR FURNITURE Jacob C. Feldman, Boston, Mass, assignor to New England Bedding Company,

Medford,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to porch and outdoor furniture such for example as chaise longues, gliders, settees, etc.

Conventional types of outdoor furniture usually embody either a sheet metal construction or a frame structure which supports stuffed cushions provided with a waterproof or waterresistant covering or finish. The sheet metal constructions are subject to the disadvantages of being unyielding and not conforming to the contour of the occupant, and hence are rather Furthermore, this type of construction, if placed in the sun, becomes heated to an intolerable degree for comfort, and on the other hand, if placed in the shade, is apt to cool to an extent which produces a chilly feeling to the occupant. Although structures having stuffed cushions overcome these disadvantages to a great extent, nevertheless they do not withstand outdoor exposure for any great length of time, and after a relatively short period of use assume a baggy, unkempt appearance.

The principal objects of the present invention are to overcome these disadvantages and ob:- jectionable features and to provide a construction which, when in use, readily conforms to the body contour of the occupant, thus insuring maximum comfort, and which will withstand outdoor exposure without appreciable deterioration.

Another object is to provide a construction which is of simple design and of pleasing appearance, which is lightweight yet strong and durable, and which can be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost.

Further objects relating to various features of construction will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevation of a glider embodying the present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and rear elevations, respectively, of the glider shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of chaise longue embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the chaise longue shown in Fig. 4.

An article of furniture such as a glider, chaise longue, settee or the like, which may embody the conventional frame construction defining a seat section and an adjoining back rest or back supporting section, is provided with seat and back rest members each comprising a piece of fiexible sheet material, such as canvas, army duck or the like, capable of withstanding outdoor exposure. In accordance with the present invention, the front end of the seat member is suitably secured to the seat section and both the lower end of the back rest member and the rear of the seat member are supported by springs or the like resilient members so as to yield horizontally and vertically when the seat is occupied, thereby providing a flexible support which conforms to the contour of the occupant. If desired, the back rest and seat member may be separable pieces of sheet material, or they may be integral, as herein shown by way of illustration. In order to insure maximum conformability and comfort, the upper end of the back rest extends about a horizontally disposed member and terminates in a depending end which is yieldingly secured in any suitable manner so as to permit the back rest to move upwardly and downwardly in response to pressure exerted thereon by the occupant. The horizontal member thus constitutes, in effect, a guide roll, and accordingly is provided with a smooth rounded surface which permits the back rest to be readily moved to afford the desired degree of extensibility. The springs are also effective normally to maintain the seat and back rest taut and hence these members always present a neat trim appearance even after being subjected to outdoor exposure.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, wherein I have illustrated one desirable embodiment of the invention, the numeral I designates the stationary supporting structure of a glider and is provided with pivotally mounted links 2 and 3 which support the swing structure 5, both of which may be of conventional design and construction. The swing 5 is provided with front and rear horizontal frame members 6 and 1 suitably secured to end members 8 which carry arm rests H]. The members 6 and 1 define the seat section which adjoins the back rest section defined by the upstanding end members and I2, and adjacent to their upper ends the members II and I2 support a horizontally extending guide bar l5.

The seat member I6, here shown as consisting of a sheet of army duck or the like, is socured at its frame end I! to the horizontal frame member 6, there being a layer of padding l8 wrapped about the frame member 6, as shown in Fig. 1. The seat member extends rearwardly and adjacent to the junction of the seat and back rest sections is formed with a tuck defining a flap 20, by means of which the seat member may be secured to the ends of a plurality of coil springs 22 which are suitably secured to the rear frame member 1.

The back rest 25 likewise is formed of duck or the like material, preferably being a continuation of the seat member [6 which extends upwardly from the flap 2!], about the horizontal guide bar I and terminating in a depending end formed with a hem 26. The upper ends of a plurality of connectors 28 are secured to the hem 26 and their lower ends are secured to coil springs 30 which are suitably anchored to the rear frame member 1.

With this construction and arrangement both the seat and back rest I6 and 25 are supported so as to yield horizontally and vertically in response to the weight of the occupant, it being noted that the back rest 25 may bereadily moved upwardly and downwardly about the guide bar I5, thus assuring perfect conformability to the contour of the occupant and hence maximum comfort. When not in use the springs 22 and 39 are effective-to maintain the members I6 and 25 taut, and hence these parts always present a neat appearance even after being subjected to outdoor exposure. A further feature of the construction resides in the fact that even though the seat and back rest become damp or wet, shrinkage on drying does not affect either the appearance or the capability of these parts conforming to the contour of the occupant.

I, Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, which show another embodiment of the invention, the numeral 4| designates the seat section of a chaise longue which is provided with an adjoining upstanding back rest section #12. The seat section comprises a pair of longitudinally extending frame memhere 43 formed with depending arcuate-shaped front legs 44 and rear legs 45 which carry wheels 46. A horizontal frame member 48 (Fig. 4) extends transversely between the front legs 44 and another horizontal frame member 50 extends transversely between the rear legs 45. The back rest section 42 comprises a pair of upstanding frame members 5| pivoted at 52 to the longitudinalframe members 43, and adjacent to their upper ends the frame members5l support a horizontally extending guide bar 54. Arm rests 55 may be secured to the two sections in the conventional manner so as to permit the back rest to be swung to one of a plurality of inclined positions. I v j The seat member 56 is secured at its forward end to the horizontal member 48 and extends rearwardly to the junction of the seat section and back rest where it is formed with a tuck defining a connecting flap-58, by means of which the rear of the seat section may be supported by a plurality of coil springs 6|] attached to the rear horizontal member 50, as in the previously described embodiment. The back rest member 6| also forms a continuation of theseat member 56, extending upwardly from the flap' 58, about the horizontalguide bar 54 and terminating in a depending end formed with ahem 62. The upper ends of a plurality of connectors 64 are suitably secured to the hem 62 and their lower ends are secured to coil springs "65 which are anchored to the horizontal frame member 56. The springs 60 and 65 are thus effective to support the seat andback rest members so as to yield horizontally and vertically, as in the previously described embodiment, and it will be observed that the same advantageous features as above noted are retained in this construction. 7

Due to the length-of the seat section 56, it may be desirable, as here shown, to provide supplemental supports and to this end transversely extending bands 68 of canvas, duck or the like flexible sheet material may be provided at the central and end portions of the seat member, as shown in Fig. 4.

In both embodiments the upstanding frame members of the back rest are preferably of tubular construction with open ends so as telescopically to receive the lower ends of arcuate-shaped arms 16 which carry a canopy H. It will be noted that in both embodiments the canopy H k may be adjusted to suit the occupant, thus supplementing the comfort attributable to the nonsagging construction above described.

While I have shown and described the invention as applied to a glider and chaise longue, it is to be understood that it may also be applied to a chair, settee and other types of furniture, and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shOWn and described, may be made without de parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture of the class described comprising a frame structure defining a seat section having at its forward end a horizontal frame member and an adjoining upstanding back rest section having adjacent to its upper end a horizontally extending guide bar, a horizontally extending fixed bar adjacent to the junction of the seat section and back rest section, a seat member of flexible sheet material secured at one end to said horizontal frame member and ex tending rearwardly to the junction of the two sections, then upwardly about said guide bar to provide a back rest member and then downwardly, terminating in 'a depending end, a hem formed in said sheet material adjacent to the junction of the seat and back rest sections, a' set of springs having ends secured to said fixed bar and their opposite ends connected to said depending end, and another set of springs secured at their ends to said fixed bar and at their opposite ends to said hem, said springs cooperating to hold the seat and back members taut and being effective to permit said seat and back rest members to yield horizontally and vertically so asto conform to the contour of the-occupant.

2, An article-offurnitureof the class described comprising a frame structure defining a-seat section having at its forward end a horizontal frame member and an adjoining upstanding back rest section having adjacent to its upper end a horizontally extending guide bar, a seat member of flexible sheet material secured at one end to said horizontal frame member and extending rearwardly to the junction; of the two sections-,-a back rest member of flexible sheet material extending from the junction of the two sections upwardly about said guide bar and then downwardly, terminating in a depending end, resilient means secured to the rear end of theseat member and the lower end of the back rest member.

and resilient means secured: to said depending end each of said'resilient means being also severtically so as to conform to the-contour of the.

occup ant.

JACOB C. FELDMAN. 

